fastarget Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Sent most of the parts needed to a nationally known gunsmith who agreed to put the gun together. We just realized it has been over 3 years since he received the parts. I know some of the well known smiths are real backed up, so what is a reasonable time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iShootguns Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Definitely not three years...have you called him? I have never heard of a wait on any gun for that long. Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastarget Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 An email every 6-8 month, the response was "its on schedule".....asked several times about our financial obligations and estimated time to finish and could not get an answer.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) You been played. The longest I have read about is Infinity at what, 18 months? Even that is a little nuts but 3 years is criminal. Edit to add I've been informed Infinity is 12-14 months. Edited January 19, 2013 by Sarge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superdude Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) Some years back I inquired about how long the wait list was for a very popular gunsmith at the time (it's been so long I can't even remember who it was.) The wait list was 5 years. Five years! Talk about job security! Oh, I forgot to mention - he wasn't taking any new order for that reason. Edited January 19, 2013 by superdude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hvsmith Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I know Joe Chambers & maybe John Harrison & Jardine are out 3 years for their custom 1911's, may be a few others but not too many in that category. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastarget Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Some years back I inquired about how long the wait list was for a very popular gunsmith at the time (it's been so long I can't even remember who it was.) The wait list was 5 years. Five years! Talk about job security! Oh, I forgot to mention - he wasn't taking any new order for that reason. Yes, I have heard that in cases. My lovely wife tried to order a custom 1911 and similarly she was told 5 years for delivery. Ok, great , at least she was told and decided against it. But no time frame here. I think will try and attempt contact again next week. Funny we had forgoten about it until she asked me about it over diner........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambo Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 FWIW... Maybe try calling instead if email? In my experience it normally has better results. Can't hurt right? Good luck! Hope you end up with an awesome gun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beltjones Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 You been played. The longest I have read about is Infinity at what, 18 months? Even that is a little nuts but 3 years is criminal. Edit to add I've been informed Infinity is 12-14 months. News to me. I'm at 15 months currently and a friend is at 17 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastarget Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 You been played. The longest I have read about is Infinity at what, 18 months? Even that is a little nuts but 3 years is criminal. Edit to add I've been informed Infinity is 12-14 months. My infinity took 13 month, but I was informed of it, their communication is prompt, Brandon is on it. With the current demand 18 month is not a surprise at a reputable gunsmith. looking at my receipts however I am at 38 months. Will call next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I would have gotten a completion date prior to sending any parts or money as part of the original contract. zdont care if its a gun build or putting tires on. Time to completion is part of the contract. In your case I would give HIM the completion date or tell him to return my parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheers623 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I went with another "well known", "great guy", gunsmith a few years back and got hosed as well. Same deal as yours, tried being polite and respectfully check in via email and phone every 6-8 weeks when I was originally told 3-4 weeks total. After about a year I received the gun with no notice and surprise, the work was not what I had asked for. I presented this "great guy" with all of the email correspondence and he threatened to blacklist me with other gunsmiths if i told anyone. At least he refunded my money...minus parts cost! The above is why I went with my local guy, John Larson of JPL Precision for my next build. He truly is a great guy and great gunsmith AND, I could go to his shop. The old adage is as true now as ever...BUYER BEWARE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biloxi23 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 IT took Gary Natale at Gan's five days to get mine to me. He e-mailed me that he got my old frame and all new parts on a Monday morning. Fed Ex delivered my gun on Friday at noon. I sent him a new slide with sight cuts, tri-top and front a rear serrations cut from STI. He also matte blued the slide and re-blued the frame and grip safety. He also welded and machined the frame rails due to their dimensions being under oprtimal. It don't get any bater than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calvinc78 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I just got my open gun built by Bobby at FGW. Took less then 2 months start to finish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassochist Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 i had to wait about 8 months, for my open gun, but in my case there wern't any parts available from prommersberger, so it took a few months to get all the parts to europe from the usa. a friend of mine, has waited about 13 months for his infinity imm open. i think one year is the max. 3 years is just rediculous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pskys2 Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 Well most who have that much of a back log don't want you to send the gun/parts in until they're close to it. But Benny Hill has done a 1911 and a 2011, the 2011 was just a frame/slide and some of the parts, the 1911 just needed a new BarSto fit and some milling work done. Both came back within 3 months and were just great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve RA Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 I would not bet a fortune on it, but, I think it was Richard Heinie who stopped taking orders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastarget Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Benny is a good guy, have one of his. This one was not going to be a competition gun, Ti frame, Damascus slide, trigger and hammer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctay Posted January 19, 2013 Share Posted January 19, 2013 (edited) My first open gun took roughly 9 months to be built wrong (from a very popular builder). Then it took about 40 days to rebuild it with some pretty poor machining and a few mechanical problems. Wasn't what I waited for. I sold the first one, had a great local builder build me another one that turned out exactly like I wanted, functions perfectly and only took about 2 weeks. The right builder makes all the difference! Edited January 19, 2013 by ctay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bountyhunter Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) Sent most of the parts needed to a nationally known gunsmith who agreed to put the gun together. We just realized it has been over 3 years since he received the parts. I know some of the well known smiths are real backed up, so what is a reasonable time? A heck of a lot less time than 3 years.When C+S had ridiculous time backlogs they would take a deposit, then tell you when your place was coming up "in the line" to send the gun in so at least you didn't have to be without your gun for years. This kind of crap is the reason I had to start smithing my own guns. Edited January 20, 2013 by bountyhunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ltdmstr Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 For big name smith's it's not uncommon to wait a couple of years or more. But those are typically heirloom pieces, and not run of the mill competition guns. Plenty of good smiths out there that can turn one around in a couple of months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polizei1 Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) For custom 1911's, it COMPLETELY depends on the gunsmith. I read over on the LTW forums not too long ago that Ned Christensen last year was just getting around to building orders from ~2002. 8-10 years is his current backlog IIRC. Other smiths like John Harrison, Chuck Rogers, Ted Yost (all of Heirloom), etc. it's typical to have 2-4 year backlogs, if not longer. Last I heard, those smiths I just mentioned all had 4+ year waiting lists. I got extremely lucky with my Harrison build! Mine wasn't a complete full house, but only took 3 months. So, to answer your question, 3 years is very typical, depending on who the smith is. You guys that are quoting open guns are probably right about the 1-year to 18-months being in the ballpark, if not the maximum wait time. But, 1911's are completely different in that aspect than race guns. It's just not the same as a full house 1911 build. Edited January 20, 2013 by polizei1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I have a beautiful Krieghoff and a Kolar O/U shotguns, one is deep relief engraved and gold inlayed the other is Bulino engraving with gold inlays. All engraving was done by hand (hammer and chisel) not with an electric engraving tool. It took 18 months for one and 20 months for the other not including custom made exhibition grade french walnut stocks and forends that took an additional 6 months per gun. There is no way it should even take a year to build a competition pistol unless the smith is over booking jobs. The engravers I used told me up front when they could start on the guns and the approximate time it would take to complete them. Both guns were finished within the estimated times. There is no where near the work building a competition pistol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoot-em-All Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 You been played. The longest I have read about is Infinity at what, 18 months? Even that is a little nuts but 3 years is criminal. Edit to add I've been informed Infinity is 12-14 months. News to me. I'm at 15 months currently and a friend is at 17 months. 14 months 9 days and it was worth it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyZip Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I have a friend who sent his Bren Ten to a smith, and took his pistol back last year after..... wait for it.............15 years!!! It is now with another smith in line and should be ready early February. This wasn't some fly-by-night guy, but a reputable smith who took the work in trade and got his part but never kept his part of the bargain. People do weird things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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